Hockey: Black Sticks thrash China

Midfield dynamo Anita Punt scored twice with well struck penalty corner efforts. Photo / Getty.

A 4-0 win over China was a fine way for the New Zealand's women's hockey team to finish the World Cup in The Hague tonight.

The Black Sticks, playing off for fifth and sixth spots, therefore ended equal to their world ranking of No 5, but there was disappointment they fell short of making the semifinals.

However, they were well worth a convincing win, having 13 shots to four by seventh-ranked China.

Midfield dynamo Anita Punt scored twice with well struck penalty corner efforts - the first in the fifth minute to get New Zealand off to a fast start -- captain Kayla Whitelock scored with a penalty stroke while Krystal Forgesson added a spectacular overhead effort.

It was not until the final 10 minutes, when New Zealand scored their third and fourth goals, that they made the game safe.

Both teams had several scoring chances, China twice had clear chances in front of the Black Sticks' goal but fluffed the opportunities.

Punt was full of running, while Whitelock, Stacey Michelsen, Forgesson and Sophie Cocks asked plenty of questions of the Chinese defence.

Goalkeeper Bianca Russell had a strong game as China created three penalty corner chances, while younger players coming through like Olivia Merry and Liz Thompson will have gained valuable experience.

''It was a great team performance," Punt said.

''We just had to be really patient and we kept pushing hard."

New Zealand have a week off before two weeks training to prepare for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, starting on July 23.

The men's Black Sticks were to play Spain to decide seventh and eighth places on Sunday night (NZT).